What Matters Within
by cokwhip15
Summary: Based on Mortal Kombat X, the Outworlders discover a new being: Alpren (oc). A genetic experiment, he lives among the Outworlders and has his own moments in the story. This is just my character integrated into the story basically. Enjoy!
1. The Big Reveal

The Outworld Market was bustling with activity as the hot glare of the sun bore down on its' citizens. Vendors lined both sides of the street, eagerly pitching their sales to passersby. Exotic fruit, jewelry, pottery, and even the odd weapon could be seen if one were to stroll through town.

Of course the city was filled quite a bit more today as Outworld's leader, Kotal Kahn, was touring the streets in his carriage. The word on the street was he was discussing plans with the assassin Kano.

Those plan's details, not known to the public however, were based along the lines of ridding Outworld of the rebellion left in the past ruler, Shao Kahn's name.

This rebellion was led by Mileena and advised by Tanya and Rain, who doubted their own abilities to retake the realm. So Mileena had hired Kano to assassinate Kotal Kahn for twice the money he would've paid Kano to do it to Mileena.

Now, you all know this story. And great story it is! Unfortunately, it's not exactly true. I'm not saying it didn't happen, it happened alright...just lacking one character that was lost in the legend for a reason.

Be prepared, true believers. I'm not asking you to take my word for his story. I'm just telling you what happened and how I know it to be true.

See, around the time Kano was about to attempt to kill Kotal Khan and Mileena was about to ambush the carriage itself with her own soldiers, another cart rolled through the streets.

It came to the square, armed guards of Kotal Kahn steering the enclosed cart from above as heavy, raspy breathing sounded from inside the prison like carriage.

The guards were on their way to a local Outworld prison, where their passenger could be safely locked away.

The reason for them wanting him to be locked away was quite simple: a scout had found this...thing in a cave in barren wastes of Outworld and barely managed to escape with his life.

Upon hearing news of this discovery, Kotal Kahn dispatched five men to escort the rabid creature to civilization and lock up to be studied. Now, only two men returned.

The prison cart was just passing through the square when the ambush was launched. Inside his carriage, Kotal Kahn was attacked by Kano and the desperate struggle of life and death began between the two warriors.

Guards, who had been escorting their ruler's ride, noticed the struggle and rushed to help. And the Tarkotans attacked.

Mileena's forces attacked, flooding the square from the darkly lit alleyways. Tarkotans, with their jagged teeth filled mouths and arm blades rushed to draw attention from Kotal Kahn's carriage.

Tanya cast her eyes downward, satisfied smile on her face as she watched the forces collide.

Rain stood on a roof beside her, looking down with doubtful eyes. "Our soldiers may hold out, but Kano is no match for Kotal Kahn." he muttered in a hushed whisper as he heard someone walk up beside them.

"That is why I am going to finish him off." Mileena hissed through her mask as Rain cast his eyes down at her. He didn't believe the plan would work...even if things went exactly to plan.

As luck would have it, the plan was about to be interupted by an unexpected combatant in the battle that now turned the square into a battlefield. Despite the Tarkotans and guards clashing every which way now, and Kano now engaging Kotal Kahn outside his carriage, almost no eyes fell to the abandoned prison cart.

The guards who had been guiding it all along had joined the battle in hopes of turning the tide in their ruler's favor. The only thing it did was leave a very dangerous being unguarded.

A pair of emerald eyes shone out through the bar like window, surveying the entire skirmish. His breathing had become less panicked but his eyes still darted left and right, searching for a means of escape.

The breathing that had sounded panicked and scared suddenly grew to a deep rumbling hiss, dark and forbidding from inside the cart. The same two emerald eyes came into view again, blazing with a new wild and unpredictable stare.

An explosion outwards from the carriage went almost unnoticed by brawling forces, though some risked a glance at the mysterious sound. A milky white hand protruded from the new hole, smooth but ridged on the edges like an insect. Five fingers, each tipped with a grey claw that bent with perfect precision and ease as the hand seemed to be forcing its' way out.

More fighters seemed to stop and stare while more of the creature became visible. The same, milky, white exoskeleton continued on up the arm but it was thin and breakable like that of an insect.

The smooth surface broke away and sank into muscular upper arms that had a more dry, scaly look to it. Even Kotal Kahn, who had dispatched of Kano, along with both Tanya and Rain, stared at the ever growing creature.

A guard ran toward the breaking carriage and attempted to contain the flailing arm. But on a simply touch, the razors lashed out across his chest. Without even a cry of agony, the man fell backwards with dark crimson flowing from his chest and neck, unmoving.

"Kotal Kahn!" Mileena bellowed from her place on the edge of the square. "Face me in co-" she had not seen the cart and its' passenger yet, but stopped short when she saw the both sides of the battle halting.

And the screeching began. It sounded like a terrible combination of a lion's roar and nails on a chalkboard. The cart rocked back and fourth, wood bending and cracking as grown warriors covered their ears from the hellish sound.

There was final splintering sound before a white shape darted out from inside, crouching in the middle of the square as almost everyone in the square stood transfixed to the spot.

It was unlike anything Mileena, Kotal Kahn, or anyone else had ever seen. Long, muscular legs dug into the ground with hooked toes much like the hands. The lower legs, like the arms, slowly turned from smooth shell like surface to scaly muscled legs.

The body was truly something to see. The thick abdomen was the same milky white, but with strange indentations of grey that resembled a rib cage that traveled up the chest.

The arms were the same as could be seen from inside, pushed against the ground in a crouch.

Another unearthly screeh was released from a head that didn't match anything in Outworld. If the Outworlders had the resources, they could've looked to Earth Realm. There was...several encounters with creatures that resmebled this one. Parts of it resembled a little know alien species know as a 'Xenomorph', while others looked like more documented species, the 'Yautja'.

Though, the thicker set parts and especially the torso suggested a species that had only been documented once and there hadn't been any real proof it existed. These creatures were known as 'Engineers'.

Explaining all that was the only way to explain the head. It streched backwards a way, like a Xenomorph's, but had the long hanging dreadlocks around the edges like the Yautja.

The head continued down as a blunt toothed mouth with Yautja manibles surrounding it. The two green eyes, set above the mouth widened as it let out another screech and the inner jaw of a Xenomorph popped out.

It was sick, twisted combination of creatures that didn't belong in the land of the living. All the unholy features almost took away from the height, which was well over seven feat, and the tail, smooth and insect like with a wicked barbed end. It snaked through the air and appeared behind him, making him seem that much bigger.

An unlucky Tarkotan who was standing too close was suddenly hoisted up into the air with a wet crunching sound. The warrior looked down at his chest, barbed point of a tail jabbing through him as he was lifted of the ground toward the creature.

"Who are you?" Kotal Kahn murmured under his breath. The eyes of the new monster seemed to gaze over the crowd, exaiming them.

Despite the alien features, the face looked...human. There was a look of intelligence there as he seemed to shake its' head in a daze.

The creature seemed to stagger and fall to its' knees, eyes rolling back into its' head. The mass seemed to shrink and break down into a softer, less battle ready form as it feel onto its' face on the ground. The body of the dead Tarkotan fell away from as the tail shrank into the figures backside.

Claws and teeth retracted, the dueling sides of the battle now jostled for a glimpse at the new form of the giant that had killed two fighters with ease.

Only it wasn't a giant at all. Quivering on the ground, was a pale man. He looked like a warrior by no means, milky skin smooth and untouched by battle.

Whoever it was only donned a pair of loose, brown pants that looked like had been made from a vegetable sack. If one were to look closer, some would even say he resembled the sorcerer, Quan Chi.

Unlike the sorcerer however, the young man's eyes shone with an almost emerald look in them. He twitched on the ground, laying on his side as he opened to his mouth to try and talk.

Nothing but dry sounding croaks came out as everyone, Kotal Kahn and Mileena especially, surveyed him more carefully. He was bald from his head to his stomach, which was solid but had no signs of the well built abs most warriors had.

Mileena attacked Kotal Kahn without warning, giving him a hard kick to the head and forcing him to stagger forward. She rushed in and attacked once again, pounding his side with punches and kicks.

Kotal Kahn was surprised by ge sudden attack but recovered quickly, swatting at his foe with the back of his fist.

The blow connected as Mileena was thrown backwards before rolling through and standing back up in a fighting position.

"Mileena," Kotal Kahn spoke in a commanding tone. "Leave at once! Your attack no longer has meaning! I wish to exaime this...discovery. You have lost!"

Glaring at the ruler, Mileena reached around behind and pulled out the thing she had kept for an emergency: the Amulet of Shinnok. "You are wrong. I will take him and study him. This battle..." she hissed before bringing the amulet around. "has only begun."

In a flash of green, Kotal Kahn felt his energy being sapped from his body and his very life force weaken. He fell to the ground, stunned along with many of his soldiers.

Rain appeared out of nowhere, scooping up a dazed Mileena and the unconscious newcomer. "This battle is too close now. We must retreat." Rain told Tanya who clutched his arm while she nodded.

They vanished as Rain teleported them back to the jungle, where they had a temporary base operations. "That was too close." he muttered as he set everyone down beside the groups of tents.

Meanwhile, back in the Outworld City, D'Vorah, who had been along the entire time and had been busy with attacking Tarkotans, was helping Kotal Kahn to his feet. "This one thinks the rebels are planning something." she hissed in her strange way of talking.

"I think so as well." Kotal Kahn agreed, holding his side. He felt weakened after that attack by Mileena, but he guessed he would recover soon enough.

"I need to think about what to do. Tell the guards to round up any prisoners. I shall summon you later." he told her as D'Vorah nodded and moved off to follow orders.


	2. Questioning

Mileena didn't feel good. Her body ached and something inside her didn't feel right. "It wss that amulet. It must have some side effects."

She sat in a tent at the camp her forces had in the jungles of Outworld. Beside her, chained to a tree trunk that was used to support the tent, was the being she had seen in the city.

His pale skin reflected the thin beams of sunlight that shone down into the tent through holes in the material, his eyes closed and breathing shallow.

"I have never seen anytning like him." a voice spoke from behind her, making Mileena jump. Whipping around and drawing her sai, she saw Rain standing in the tent door.

"How dare you sneak up on me?!" Mileena hissed as he seemed to sigh softly. If his plan worked out right, Rain knew the amulets's power would slowly kill Mileena and take away her life force...only after they had gained control of Outworld. That would leave him the ruler.

"I came to check on the prisoner." he told her as Rain looked down at the small man. "He doesn't look so special now."

Mileena scowled at her ally. "This being could be the key to use taking Outworld from Kotal Kahn!" she hissed as the being seemed to stir on the ground.

"I'm what to taking where from who?" Mileena and Rain jumped a little as the mystery person suddenly kicked up onto his feet from his back. The two emerald eyes from before carefully served them both as Mileena's own fiery orange eyes glared back.

"You were listening the entire time? Why?" she demanded as he shrugged and seemed to smile for a minute.

"Seemed like fun." he told with a voice that was not loud or commanding, more soft and full of emotion. "Now, do you mind telling me where in the blue hell I am?"

Rain, not liking his attitude, swiftly struck out at this figure and punched him in the jaw. The pale man staggered back but did not fall as he felt the place where he had been hit with shuckled hands,

"Now see, that wasn't very nice." he told him in darker voice and glaring at the ninja. "Got another one in ya?"

Rain's eyes narrowed as he struck the man again, this time in the stomach as he doubled over in pain. The man coughed as he was only held out by his chains.

"Keep going. Maybe it'll start to hurt." Again, the mystery man mocked Rain as he made the ninja madder.

As Rain drew back again, Mileena's voice sliced through the air as she stepped between her ally and prisoner. "Enough! Go check on supplies and leave the prisoner to me!" she ordered as Rain stopped and stared hard at them both before obeying her.

When Rain left, Mileena's eyes fell to the chained up man. "Now tell me your name and we shall discuss terms for your release!"

Smirking a bit, the pale man looked her dead in the eye and Mileena couldn't helo but feel the tiniest of blushes come out under her mask. Just the way he looked at her made her feel...strange.

"My name is Alpren," he told her, leaning back against the tree trunk. "And I don't think I know you, but I'm not one for remembering faces either."

Scowling at this apparent trickster, she clamped a hand around his throat as she leaned closer. "I am Mileena, rightful fuller of Outworld and daughter to Shao Khan!"

She waited to see the realization hit his face but it remained in the same goofy smirk. "Never heard of you or him, but it's always nice to meet someone new."

He had to be human. This 'Alpren' reminded Mileena of that other smart mouthed human, Johnny Cage. So she decided to make her means known.

"Don't play games with me, human! You will help me take back Outworld and I shall spare your li-" she began but stopped when she saw his smile fade and hatred in his eyes. There was a snapping sound as the shackles holding him snapped open and he lunged forward.

Mileena found herself face to face with Alpren, his milky white skin without scar or bruise. They were the same height as Alpren drew very close to her face, lips curled back in a growl.

"Don't...ever...call...me...a...human!" he snarled before drawing back. "They are a heartless and cruel race. There is no one I hate more than those who hurt me the most in my life."

Never one to back down, Mileena decided to show Alpren what was behind her mask. It always scared or at least disgusted most males. Even people close to her like Rain and Tanya seemed uncomfortable if she didn't have her mask on. Baraka was the only one to not be scared of her true looks, but her former mate was not what she would call 'in it for the love'.

Upon showing him her razor like fangs mixed in with normal teeth, she thought she saw his eyes twitch a little. But he made no movement only an emotional change:confusion.

"What is it?" she asked. "Tell me why you look at me without disgust or fear! I am warrior and monster who will rule Outworld with an iron fist."

Alpren just stared at her before she saw his skin bulge. Before she knew it, Mileena was looking at the creature she had first seen in the city during her attack on Kotal Kahn.

His manibles twitched as he let out a low hiss and now towered over her, claws digging into the ground. "Because," Alpren hissed in a deeper voice. "I know what it's like to be hated because you look a certain way."

The body changed again, shrinking back down to his pale skinned size before smiling again. "You said you want to conquer Outworld and rule with an iron fist. That's not the way to go about it."

At this point, Mileena's mind was racing as she thought what to say next. "What do you mean? Are you insulting my leadership?" she demanded, sounding insulted.

Alpren put his hands up in defence. "Of course not. But, as much as I hate the humans, I've spent enough time in Earthrealm to see who the best leaders are. And they are the ones who are the people's champion. People chosen by society to lead them because the population has faith in them."

Mileena thought about this for a long time, but shook her. Shao Kahn had taught her how to rule and that is how she would rule. "Get back in your chains. I shall return when I have need of you." she hissed as she turned her back to him.

Surprisingly, Mileena heard a clink of chains as she glanced over her shoulder at him. Alpren stood a ways back, arms once again locked in the shackles as he stared blankly at her. She turned to go but his voice stopped her.

"Before you go, I want to get you thinking on a couple of things. You said you wanted to rule Outworld because your father did. Is that what you really want?" Alpren asked in an unusually sincere voice as Mileena felt her doubt creep up inside her.

"I..." she began but was at a loss for words as she looked at him. "Why would you care what I want?"

Alpren could only look down and smile. "You'll find out soon enough." he told her before she glared and exited the tent.

Night was falling and Alpren was alone with only his thoughts...and memories. When you boil it down, that's all he had left. No home, no family, no friends, and no meaning...just memories.

Memories that he knew would haunt when he fell asleep. Memories of the pain inflicted on him and the ridicule he faced everyday since his creation.

Some memories only hovered in his head for a minute, barely memorable and intact while others clung to his brain and refused to be out of mind.

When he had the time and planning, Alpren promised himself he would make good on his word and take revenge on those who tortured him for hours upon end.

He wasn't the only one either. He could see it in Mileena's eyes as well. That look of loneliness and pain that dwelled in the depths of a mind and seemed buried under a mountain of personality and emotion.

Eyes of someone that had been toyed with and faced ridicule simply because of the way they looked or maybe because they had never been given a chance.

Someone who had been deprived of comfort and compassion all through their existence, like he was.

There were people in this one who were totally alone and he was one of them. Alpren now sat alone in the dark, these thoughts running rampant through his hand as he wished for a small feeling of hope or even happiness. He just concealed this feeling of despair with an attitude that felt...right.

Alpren's stomach growled as he realized the last thing he ate was...well was a Outworld guard that had come looking for him. At least he had cooked him over a fire.

How he longed for some meat or even bread he occasionally found on travelers. Most of all he wanted something to quench the ever growing parched taste in his throat.

Alpren knew he had no hopes of getting anything from Rain, the bastard. Tanya, one of the other leaders here, probably wasn't of any use as she wouldn't come near the tent. And he doubted Mileena would do it with her plans of tyrannical rule.

"So I'm a mere tool again. Great." he sighed to himself as tried to get comfortable in his chains.

His ears perked up as he heard a twig snapping just outside the tent. His eyes immediately went to the door, waiting for a captor, an enemy, or even a savior.

To his surprise, Mileena walked through the flap, carrying a small clay mug and plate with a small piece of browned meat. She watched Alpren the whole time as she walked toward him, setting the plate down in front of him.

"I had you figured wrong Mileena. I would never have thought you to have the ability to bring a prisoner food." Alpren sneered, raising an eyebrow as he picked up the mug. Clear water sloshed in the bottom as he tilted upwards and took a long drink while Mileena sat down cross legged in front of him.

"You could break out of here anytime you want...why don't you?" she questioned as he brought the mug back down. The question had been gnawing at her ever since she saw him break out.

Looking back at her, Alpren thought for a moment. "I'd like to see how this plays out. And really, I don't have anywhere else to go."

"That's it?" Mileena asked before Alpren picked up the piece of cooked meat on the plate. It was about the size of a fist as he took a bite out of the side.

"Let me answer that question with another question. If you conquer Outworld, with or without me, what then? What do you do?" He asked after swallowing the dry meat.

Narrowing her eyes, Mileena hissed. "I know what you are trying to do. You're trying to manipulate me into not taking control of Outworld!"

Closing his eyes, Alpren shook his head. "I have no love for Kotal Kahn. His soldiers tormented me and were nothing but a nuisance."

"You lie!" Mileena yelled as she stood up in front of him. She still felt the pain from the amulet, but worse now. "You are a spy from Kotal Khan! This has all been a ruse!"

Alpren saw her grimace as he suddenly reached out to steady her fall. He grabbed her leg as she regained herself and glared down at her. "Don't you dare touch me, filth!"

She slapped his hand away as she stood back a ways. The tent flap was pushed aside as Mileena exited, hateful eyes now on Alpren before disappearing out of sight.

He sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. He now felt the same pain in him Mileena had felt. Alpren had a very special ability to go along with his transformation. He could take sickness, injury, or cause of pain away from someone on a touch and then have it himself. He could also disperse this on another touch to another person if he chose too.

And he had taken the force that had been killing Mileena. Not because he wanted to save her, but for a different reason.

He wanted to inflict it upon the very person he felt responsible for his suffering. The person who ordered and headed his creation in Earthrealm. The person who had told the god Raiden to banish him to the wastes of Outworld.

That person was Sonya Blade.


End file.
